Late Tuesday, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association released a set of revisions to the four-season sports calendar it announced on July 21. The adjustments provide some clarity and flexibility for coaches and athletic directors trying to make plans to provide as much athletic experience as possible for the state’s student-athletes within the parameters set up by the WIAA in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the release, after the July 21 meeting, the board “continued to receive feedback from member schools as well as the planning committee assembled” to provide guidance on the best path for returning to high school sports in Washington.

As with the previous calendar set forth by the WIAA, the revisions and dates provided are tentative, subject to the four-phase Safe Start Washington plan. Each sport was assigned a risk factor (low, moderate, high) and can only begin if the county has progressed into the appropriate corresponding phase of the plan.

The risk factor and guidelines for each sport can be found on WIAA’s website under the Sports/Activities/COVID-19 tab.

Highlights of the adjustments:

* Football practice moved up one week to begin Feb. 17;

* Out-of-season fall sport coaching period from Sept. 28-Nov. 30;

* Season 2 start/end dates moved up one week to Dec. 28/Feb. 27;

* Cross country and slowpitch softball culminating events moved to Season 3;

* Schools allowed to schedule 70% of typical contests for each sport;

* Girls swimming and diving moved to WIAA Season 3;

* Competitive Cheer moved to Season 3;

* No competition Nov. 2-Dec. 27.

Football: Since football has an extra week of practice before competition, moving the start of football practice up a week allows that regular season to align with the rest of the Season 3 sports and ensures football can complete a seven-week season. It also allows a second week of playoffs, and sets up a “Week 10” scenario for nonplayoff teams to play an additional game.